Rahat Fateh Ali Khan arrested at Delhi airport

New Delhi: Noted Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was detained at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport in New Delhi on Sunday by revenue intelligence officials after he and two of his troupe members were caught allegedly carrying US $1.24 lakh in undeclared foreign currency.Thirty-seven-year-old Rahat and his entire troupe, numbering around 16, including his manager Maroof and event manager were detained and their interrogation were underway, several hours after they were held by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials.
A nephew of Pakistani singing legend Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahat is a top Bollywood playback singer and has several hit numbers to his credit. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer this year for ‘Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji’ from the movie ‘Ishqiya’.
The foreign currency was not declared to Customs officials after the immigration checks, a DRI official said.
The troupe was on in its way to Lahore via Dubai by an Emirates flight, the official added.
“The DRI officers found altogether US $1,24,000 which is equivalent to about Rs. 60 lakhs. US $24,000 were found from the baggage carried by Rahat while the remaining US $50,000 each were found from the baggage of two troupe members,” Central Board of Excise and Customs Chairman S Dutt Majumdar said.
The recovered foreign currency included US $10,000 and US $8,600 in demand drafts and some Traveller Cheques, a DRI official said.
“Law will take its own course. Rahat and his troupe members are still being interrogated and depending upon their statement and the gravity of the offence we would decide whether to arrest them or not,” Majumdar said.
Khan was intercepted by DRI personnel aroaund 4 pm acting on some prior information, official sources said.
As per norms, a foreign national cannot carry beyond US $5,000 in cash and US $5,000 in other instruments. The person has to declare the amount if he is carrying more than this to the Customs Department.
According to DRI sources, the payments by the event manager to Rahat was made in Indian currency and US dollars and these people were allegedly found converting the dollars to Indian rupees “through unauthorised channels”.
Khan was earlier too involved in a controversy when organisers of a concert in Gurgaon filed a police complaint against him in July last year for his failure to turn up for a show.

Breaking News NEW DELHI: Noted Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was detained at the IGI airport here Sunday evening by revenue intelligence sleuths for allegedly carrying a huge amount of undeclared foreign currency.

Khan, who is a hit Bollywood playback singer, arrived here on a flight from Karachi and was intercepted by personnel from Directorate of Revenue Intelligence acting on some prior information, official sources said.

They said the singer was carrying a huge amount of foreign currency which he did not declare to the immigration authorities. Two other persons accompanying him have also been detained, the sources said.

Khan is being questioned and the amount of the money is being ascertained, they said.

The 37-year-old, nephew of Pakistani singing legend Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, was earlier too involved in a controversy when organisers of a concert in Gurgaon filed a police complaint against him in July last year for his failure to turn up for a show.

Khan has several hit numbers to his credit and had won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer this year for 'Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji' from the movie 'Ishqiya'

RAW's handpicked traitor Rahat Fateh Ali Khan arrested with USZ $1,24,000

According to sources in India, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, the champion of the highly undignified "Aman ki Asha" fraud has been Arrested at New Dehli Air Port since he was taking along with him, more than $1,24,000 which were given to him by his manager on behalf of "a local company". This clearly indicates who is funding this fraudulent so called "Aman" movement. He was detained on airport because according to Indian law, one cannot take more then USZ $5000 with him. The traitor Rahat said he was oblivious of this law. Matter is being investigated and Pakistani diplomats are also trying to help Rahat. Likely out come is deporting of Rahat from India.

RAW's handpicked traitor Rahat Fateh Ali Khan

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Arrested At Indian Airport

Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was arrested by India's Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) Monday, a day after he was detained at the international airport here for carrying undisclosed foreign currency worth more than $100,000, an official said.
"He has been arrested and will be produced in Patiala House court later today (Monday)," a DRI official told IANS. Rahat had been taken to the DRI office at the CGO Complex Sunday after he was detained at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport Sunday.

He was on his way back to Pakistan after attending concerts and award functions in India. More than $100,000 were recovered from the 15-member troupe. Any amount in excess of $10,000 has to be declared by a traveller to the customs.

According to officials, Rahat was questioned by senior DRI officials till late last night.
Rahat is the nephew of legendary singer late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and is popular both in India and Pakistan. His numerous hit songs from Indian films are a rage on both sides of the border, for which he has won several awards, including the recent Filmfare award for "Dil to Bacha Hai Jee". He was also a judge on the Indian music reality show "Chhote Ustad".

Pakistan has begun frantic efforts to secure the release of the singer. Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir called Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Sharat Sabharwal and discussed the matter around midnight Sunday. He requested the Indian envoy to ensure that "no official should misbehave with Rahat during interrogation".

RAHAT FATEH ALI KHAN DETAINED AT IGI AIRPORT

Main Jahaan Rahoon/

Main Kahin Bhi Hoon/

Teri Yaad Saath Hay ...

Kehny ko saath apnay ik duniya chalti hay

Per chhupkay iss dil may ‘Foreign Currency’ palti hay …..
Bus .......

New Delhi, Feb 13: Noted Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was detained at the Indra Gandhi International (IGI) airport here this evening by revenue intelligence sleuths for allegedly carrying a huge amount of undeclared foreign currency.

Khan, who is a hit Bollywood playback singer, arrived here on a flight from Karachi and was intercepted by personnel from Directorate of Revenue Intelligence acting on some prior information, official sources said.

They said the singer was carrying a huge amount of foreign currency (reportedly 100,000 US $) which he did not declare to the immigration authorities. Two other persons accompanying him have also been detained, the sources said.

Khan is being questioned and the amount of the money is being ascertained, they said. The 37-year-old, nephew of Pakistani singing legend Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, was earlier too involved in a controversy when organisers of a concert in Gurgaon filed a police complaint against him in July last year for his failure to turn up for a show.

Khan has several hit numbers to his credit and had won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer this year for 'Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji' from the movie 'Ishqiya'.

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has been arrested at Delhi airport, reported by a reliable news channel of India, AajTak. Reason of arrest is said to be possession of undeclared foreign currency. The custom officials are questioning the Sufi singer. We don’t have more details on the story yet. We will keep you posted as the story develops. Update 1 at 18:33 PST: He has been arrested for carrying excessive undeclared foreign currency. Two other persons who were accompanying him, have also been detained.
Update 2 at 19:15 PST: He was on flight from Karachi and was intercepted by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.
Update 3 at 21:34 PST: He was in possession of 124,000 US dollars while a foreign national cannot carry beyond $5,000 in cash and $5,000 in other instruments.
Update 4: He has been released but his passport has been held for further investigations. He can’t leave India meanwhile and has to appear before the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence on February 17...

Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was arrested by India's Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Monday, a day after he was detained at the international airport here for carrying undisclosed foreign currency worth more than $100,000, an official said.

"He has been arrested and will be produced in Patiala House court later today (Monday)," a DRI official said. Rahat had been taken to the DRI office at the CGO Complex Sunday after he was detained at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport Sunday.
He was on his way back to Pakistan after attending concerts and award functions in India. More than $100,000 were recovered from the 15-member troupe. Any amount in excess of $10,000 has to be declared by a traveller to the customs.
According to officials, Rahat was questioned by senior DRI officials till late last night.
Rahat is the nephew of legendary singer late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and is popular both in India and Pakistan. His numerous hit songs from Indian films are a rage on both sides of the border, for which he has won several awards, including the recent Filmfare award for 'Dil to Bacha Hai Jee'. He was also a judge on the Indian music reality show 'Chhote Ustad'.
Pakistan has begun frantic efforts to secure the release of the singer. Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir called Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Sharat Sabharwal and discussed the matter around midnight Sunday. He requested the Indian envoy to ensure that "no official should misbehave with Rahat during interrogation"..

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan arrested…

February 14, 2011

File photo shows Rahat Fateh Ali Khan performing at the MTV IMMIES (Indian Music Excellence Awards) in Mumbai. PHOTO: AFP

LAHORE: Noted Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was arrested by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Sunday for carrying a large amount of undeclared foreign currency. Despite concern for the singer in Pakistan, observers said that the law was broken and the Indian authorities did have reason to take action. The response in Pakistan seems to suggest that people here see a conspiracy in everything, observers added.
Many Pakistanis believe that Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has been trapped by a certain lobby in India that stems from professional jealousy because the singer has been doing so well in Bollywood, especially with the recent awards he received at the Filmfare Awards. However, the Indian authorities seem adamant that there is more to the case.
Back home, people say that the singer has been given a raw deal. Singers and actors in Pakistan unanimously condemned Khan’s arrest at the Delhi Airport for possessing undeclared money saying that he had not snatched that money from anyone but had actually earned it after doing nearly 12 shows in India.
Artistes feel that if the law was broken, the authorities could have kept the money and allowed the singer to go.
Pride of Performance recipient, Ustad Badar-uz-Zaman spoke to The Express Tribune terming Khan’s arrest as a ‘well conceived conspiracy’. “Rahat is a thorough gentleman. I know him since his first performance in 1983. He doesn’t know these cunning tactics that have been used to trap him. If some artistes in India want him to fail they should do it through competitive work and not by using such tactics,” says Zaman.
Zaman said a similar incident happened with singer Adnan Sami Khan in India. But others say that it was a case of tax fraud. “What needs to be remembered is that during the same period two Bollywood stars also saw tax raids at their homes” say observers. Zaman said that some Indian singers feel threatened by their Pakistani counterparts, “This is an effort to sabotage relationships between Pakistan and India. Whenever an artiste from the two countries visits it helps improve ties. Look at the way we treat Indian artistes when they visit Pakistan. Surely, we get a lot of respect in India but a certain lobby doesn’t want Pakistani artistes to excel in the Indian entertainment industry,” explained Zaman.
The artiste further shed light on the matter saying that Khan was given the money by the show organiser at the eleventh hour so that he couldn’t escape the arrest. “I have been doing shows all over the world and know very well that artistes don’t know about such procedures. Event managers take care of such things. Khan has nothing to do with this, he has been trapped,” he added.
Mian Yousuf Salahuddin said that the law was definitely broken but arresting Khan was highly inappropriate. “Rahat’s manager Chitresh Srivastava was accompanying him and he too has been arrested. Indian authorities could confiscate the money but shouldn’t have arrested him. When Jagjit Singh came here he also took Rs10 million with him this way. So this happens. If Rahat had been doing this for awhile, authorities should have given him a warning. He has been a frequent visitor. The sad thing is that he has been arrested just after he won several awards and hence, rivals in India,” he added. However, observer say one cannot equate the laxity of Pakistani authorities with the vigilance shown in India.
Composer M Arshad, who recorded nearly 500 songs with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan has also worked with the singer said, “This was not the first time Rahat went to India. This has been ‘arranged’ by a certain lobby there. Why do these kinds of things only happen to Pakistani artistes in India? First, Adnan Sami and now, Ratat Fateh Ali Khan — our kids are amazing and when singers over there (India) sense trouble and competition, they start arranging for such things. Why was the money for the show paid to him at the airport? Rahat should have been careful but he is not the one to be blamed for it,” said the composer.
The singer’s arrest seems to have caught a stir in the industry with music composer, Faisal Rafi claiming that Khan has been victimised, “Now I ask the Indian authority, how is an artiste to take his own earnings back home? They should first make a legal system for it. This is what a manager does and I think there must have been some mistake because Khan is at his peak now,” says Rafi.
Stepping up to the limelight, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s wife Nida Rahat said that she has spoken to her husband and he is doing fine. “This issue will settle soon,” added the wife trying to be optimistic about the situation.
Khan has produced several hit numbers this past year and recently won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer for his song, “Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji” from the film, Ishqiya.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2011.